Join us for our next Reel to Real in which we have dinner and watch a movie together, then explore the cinematic themes and how they play out in real life. This month’s selection is Harold Ramis’s classic comedy Groundhog Day (1993) in which cynical weatherman Phil Connor (Bill Murray) discovers that he is stuck living the same day (Groundhog Day) over and over again. At first, he uses this to his advantage, then comes to the realization that he is doomed to spend the rest of eternity in the same place, seeing the same people do the same thing every day.

In our ever-unsettling world, we can easily slide into the tyranny of busyness. Some of us stay busy all the time to fend off feelings of emptiness, loneliness, or depression. The ancients have taught us that true happiness and peace originates from within. But is this possible when our consumer society emphasizes external things, activities, and accomplishments? We’ll discuss these questions as we watch Bill Murray navigate the quagmire of eternal limbo, and discuss how each of us deals with the onslaught of distraction that prevents us from true connection with each other.

Program schedule:

• 6:30 Dinner available
• 7:00 Film begins
• 8:30-9:00: Discussion (stay as long as you like!)

About the presenter: Scott Bloom has spent his 33-year career at the intersection of mental health, schools, and communities. He was the founding director of School Mental Health Services for the New York City Department of Education, where he built a city-wide system of mental health services and resources in over 1800 city schools to better serve the needs of 1.2 million students and families. Mr. Bloom has certification as a psychotherapist and a private practice and supervision in New York City.